The Bar

As Melinda and Caroline ventured deeper into the heart of Middlesburg, the air grew thick with the scent of smoke and blood. The streets narrowed, and the buildings seemed to loom over them, casting long, ominous shadows. They walked in silence, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls.

Melinda's eyes scanned the crowds, searching for any sign of the hexling. Caroline, sensing her tension, placed a reassuring hand on her arm.

"What's wrong?" Caroline asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," Melinda replied, her gaze darting between the passing vampires. "I just feel like we're being watched. And I hate being watched. It's so...human.

"They quickened their pace, weaving through the crowds until they reached the outskirts of the town. There, they found a small, unassuming building with a sign that creaked in the wind: "The Blooded Rose."

Melinda's eyes lit up. "Oh, joy. A vampire bar. How original."

Caroline raised an eyebrow. "You're not exactly known for your subtlety, Melinda."

Melinda smirked. "Hey, subtlety is overrated. I'm a vampire, not a ninja."

They pushed open the door and stepped inside. The air was thick with smoke and the scent of blood. Vampires lounged on velvet couches, sipping blood-red cocktails and eyeing the newcomers with interest.

Melinda's eyes scanned the room, her gaze lingering on a particularly annoying-looking vampire. "Ugh, is that a velvet suit? Someone needs to tell him that the '70s are over."

Caroline chuckled. "Melinda, focus."

Melinda smirked. "Right, right. Sorry. I'll try to contain my fashion rage."

They made their way to the bar, where a tall, imposing figure with piercing blue eyes greeted them.

"Welcome to The Blooded Rose," he said, his voice low and smooth. "I'm Victor, the proprietor. What can I get for you ladies tonight?"

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know. A pint of blood, a side of sarcasm, and a dash of eye-rolling, please."

Victor's expression turned guarded. "I'm afraid we don't serve sarcasm here."

Melinda smirked. "Pity. I hear it's a great way to spice up a boring evening."

Victor's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, instead focusing on pouring them each a glass of whiskey. "On the house, ladies. Welcome to The Blooded Rose."

Melinda raised an eyebrow, accepting the glass. "How... hospitable of you, Victor. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that we're clearly not from around here."

Victor's expression remained neutral, but Melinda could sense a hint of curiosity behind his eyes. "Just being friendly, Miss...?"

"Melinda," she replied, taking a sip of the whiskey. "And this is Caroline. We're just passing through Middlesburg, enjoying the sights and sounds."

Victor's eyes lingered on them, as if sizing them up. "I see. Well, I hope you enjoy your stay. We don't get many... outsiders here."

Melinda's gaze met Victor's, a spark of amusement dancing in her eyes. "I'll bet. So, Victor, tell me... what's the local gossip? Is anything juicy happening in Middlesburg?"

Victor's eyes narrowed. "Can I help you with something else?"

Melinda leaned in, her voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Actually, Victor, we're looking for someone. A hexling. Have you seen her?"

Victor's expression turned wary. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Victor. Don't play dumb. We know the hexling is real, and we know because we saw her at the other part of Middlesburg."

Victor sighed, wiping down the bar with a dirty rag. "Fine. I'll tell you what I know. But you have to promise to keep it quiet."

Melinda snorted. "Oh, sure, because I'm known for my ability to keep secrets. I mean, it's not like I've ever revealed a vampire's true identity to a room full of humans or anything."

Victor's eyes narrowed. "Melinda, this is serious."

Melinda smirked. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that vampires are always serious and brooding. It's not like we have a sense of humor or anything."

Caroline's expression turned stern. "Melinda, stop joking around. This is important."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Oh, fine. Spoilsport."

Victor leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "The hexling's name is Arachne. She's an old one, with powers beyond your wildest imagination. She's been in Middlesburg for weeks, helping us to defend against the Mistwalkers."

Caroline's eyes narrowed. "The Mistwalkers? What do they want?" She asked, pretending like they hadn't heard about the Mistwalkers from the Hexling.

Victor hesitated, glancing around the bar nervously. "They're a coven of witches dedicated to eradicating vampires. They've been tracking us for months, and Arachne has been helping us to stay one step ahead." 

"How nice of her." Melinda's gaze drifted around the bar, taking in the eclectic decor. "You know, Victor, this place has a certain... charm. But I have to ask, what's with the ridiculous name? 'The Blooded Rose'? It sounds like a bad vampire romance novel."

Victor's expression turned wry. "Ah, well, we like to think it's a bit of a... nod to our heritage. You know, the whole 'rose' thing being a symbol of eternal life and all that."

Melinda snorted. "Eternal life? You mean eternal boredom. I mean, how many centuries can you spend drinking blood and brooding before you start to lose your mind?"

Caroline shot her a warning glance. "Melinda, maybe we should focus on finding out more about the Mistwalkers."

Melinda waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, right, right. The Mistwalkers. Because nothing says 'fun' like a coven of witches trying to kill us all."

Victor leaned in, his voice taking on a serious tone. "You'd do well to take the Mistwalkers seriously, Melinda. They're not to be underestimated."

Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Oh, my boots are quivering. But seriously, Victor, what's the story with the Mistwalkers? What's their endgame?"

Victor hesitated, glancing around the bar nervously. "I'm not sure I should be sharing this information... but I suppose it's better you know what you're up against. The Mistwalkers are searching for something. A powerful artifact that could give them the upper hand in their war against us."

Melinda's eyes narrowed. "What kind of artifact?"

Victor leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "They're searching for the Bloodstone. A ancient relic with the power to control the very fabric of our existence."

"The Bloodstone? Sounds like a myth created to control the masses. What makes you think it's real, Victor?"

Victor leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper, "I've seen things, Melinda, things that can't be explained, the Bloodstone is real, and it's powerful."

Leaning forward, Melinda's voice assumed an air of secrecy. "So, Victor, who's really in charge around here? I mean, I know you're the proprietor of this lovely bar, but I'm sure there's someone pulling the strings from behind the scenes." Melinda shrugged off the Bloodstone topic like it was a broken toy.

Victor's eyes darted around the bar, ensuring they were out of earshot. He leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Evangelo Peregrine. He's the one who really runs Middlesburg."

Melinda's eyebrows shot up, her interest piqued. "Evangelo Peregrine? Sounds like a real charmer. What's his story?"

Victor's expression turned serious, his eyes clouding over. "He's... a unique individual. Both vampire and demon. A strong breed, known for their cunning and ruthlessness."

Melinda's gaze lingered on Victor, her eyes sparkling with interest. "A vampire-demon hybrid? That's a new one. I've heard of vampire-werewolf hybrids, but never vampire-demon. What's the story behind that?"

Victor hesitated, glancing around the bar nervously. "It's not something that's widely known, but... Evangelo's mother was a powerful demon, and his father was a vampire lord. The combination of their bloodlines created something... extraordinary."

Melinda's eyes widened, her mind racing with the implications. "Extraordinary? That's one way to put it. So, what's Evangelo like? Is he as charming as his name suggests?"

Victor's expression turned wry. "Charming? Evangelo? Ha! He's as charming as a snake oil salesman, but twice as deadly. He's got a silver tongue, and he knows how to use it to get what he wants."

Melinda grinned, intrigued. "I like him already. Sounds like my kind of guy."

Caroline shot her a warning glance, but Melinda just winked at her. "Don't worry, Caroline. I can handle myself."

Victor's eyes narrowed, his expression serious. "You'd do well to be careful around Evangelo, Melinda. He's not someone to be trifled with. He's got a reputation for being merciless, and he won't hesitate to use violence to get what he wants."

Melinda's grin never wavered. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots. But seriously, Victor, thanks for the warning. I'll make sure to bring my A-game when I meet Evangelo."

As they finished their drinks and prepared to leave, Melinda couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. She had a feeling that meeting Evangelo Peregrine was going to be an experience she wouldn't soon forget.